Microsoft Mouse is 'Not for Noobs'
Microsoft's notfornoobs.com teaser site has turned out as expected, promoting a new gaming hardware partnership between the Redmond company and Razer. The first joint product to hit the market will be the Habu mouse, designed for serious gamers.
The mouse features a 2,000 DPI laser engine, on-the-fly DPI adjustment for changing sensitivity, motion detection for acceleration, seven programmable buttons, as well as on-board memory for storing up to five different profiles.
The Habu also includes interchangeable side buttons, enabling the user to adjust the device for their size and hand preference. Like most gaming mice, the Habu is wired, but Microsoft said the use of a thin, flexible cord makes it feel like a wireless mouse.
Slated to hit retail shelves in October, the Habu has been priced at $69.95 USD. Razer, which makes peripherals for professional gamers, said another hardware device developed with Microsoft will be announced shortly.
Microsoft on Wednesday additionally reintroduced the IntelliMouse Explorer 3.0, boasting 9,000 frames per second, a Precision Booster, and gaming toggle. Like the Habu, it will be available in October, but priced at only $39.95 USD.
“People were literally carrying around their IntelliMouse Explorer 3.0s in protective glass cases, and rightly so — there isn’t a mouse on the market that can beat this design for comfortable play and precision for low-sensitivity first-person shooter games," said Bill Jukes, product marketing manager for Microsoft Hardware.
Those gamers looking for a more console-like experience will need to wait until December, when Microsoft introduces a wireless version of the Xbox 360 Controller for Windows. Priced at $59.95 USD, the controller offers a 30-foot range, vibration feedback and integrated jack for PC headsets.